Judge, 1927-12-17 · page 17 of 36
Judge — December 17, 1927 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The top cartoon depicts a child sitting on a muddy man's face—a literal visualization of the idiom "sitting on someone," mocking childish literalism. The main text, "Geographically Speaking," is a elaborate pun-based comedy sketch where two characters discuss travel using place names as homophones. Examples: "Hungary" (hungry), "Toulouse" (tell you), "Zealand force" (zeal and force), "Tyre of it" (tire), "Egypt" (egg it), "Rhodes" (roads), "Dover" (do over). This wordplay humor was typical of early-to-mid 20th century American magazines—relying on audience familiarity with world geography to recognize the puns. The joke's sophistication assumes educated readers who know place names well enough to appreciate the linguistic substitutions. The bottom item, "'Ad' Infinitum," briefly notes a young man named John now smokes cigarettes and studies French, unable to decide between becoming a Paris representative or baritone—a light joke about youthful indecision and affectation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Why are you sitting on him like that?” “’Cause his face is in a mud puddle, mum.” Geographically Speaking “Hawaii, Sam! I’ve certainly been Hungary to see you—Texas two a long time to get together, don’t it?” “Lisle say so! I was about Toulouse you entirely; I’ve been Sienna little of the world for several months — you know, travel.” “Wallachia know about that! Where been?” “Been everywhere — Pensacola didn’t know what to do, and then inside a week I been sufferin’ with the heat! Andalusia friends back home is no fun, I can tell you with Zealand force. Don’t never let *em Russia into it.” “Oh, did you Tyre of it? I Haiti stay home, myself.” “Odessa lotta banana oil —I thought it would Rouen me! Every time I spoke to a foreigner, Egypt me out of something. And Rhodes—terrible! I thought I'd Tours a bit, but I has a Pyre- nees swollen as the devil from workin’ on the car. I’ve turned it over and Dover in my mind, “Well, I must see what the REFULLER = travel’s the bunk. Geneva think of the work to it? Venice Nice weather at sea you forgot that travel ain’t all Ceylon—but it ain’t. Of course it Alps to have money, but you Congo wrong when you stay at home. I took a Cuba opium in China, took Carib- bean shown all around in Central America, and took this Sparta my tongue off with strange liquor— Nile always say, give me home!” “Maybe you're right, but I’ve never seen India side of it. You know, my Antilles here on a visit —I think she might take us on a trip if your wife got her in the notion. She could just give her a lotta Bologna, and if you didn’t Babylon about it—do you think she’d do that for us? I’m crazy to go.” “T’ll say you are.... Well, Alaska.” —Wayne G. Hatstey ‘Ad’ Infinitum Yes, John’s started smoking Luckies and studying French, and now he can’t decide what he wants to be—the firm’s Paris and I Missouris I can be that plosion!” representative or a big baritone. comicbooks.com